Human Leukocyte Antigen DR15 in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) – A Study in Chinese Patients.

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We investigate the frequency of the human leukocyte antigen DR15 (HLA-DR15) allele in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We used polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) to detect HLA-DR15 in the peripheral blood of patients with MDS(n = 76) and healthy controls (n = 227).1.The frequency of HLA-DR15 in MDS patients (40.8%) was significantly higher than in controls (13.7%; P < 0.01).2.The diagnoses of refractory anemia/refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RA/RARS) accounted for 77.4% (24/31) and 62.2% (28/45) of the DR15-positive and the DR15-negative patients, respectively (difference not statistically significant).3.Although no statistically significant difference was observed, some trends were observed: IPSS low-risk MDS (IPSS score, ≤1) accounted for 80.6% of the DR15-positive patients compared to 64.4% among the DR15-negative patients. However, the difference between the numbers of DR15-positive and DR15-negative patients with chromosomal abnormalities was not statistically significant. Nevertheless, poor risk chromosome abnormalities (according to IPSS), were present in only 1 DR15-positive patient, while such abnormalities were present in 8 DR15-negative patients. In addition, the proportions of DR15-positive and DR15-negative patients with more than 5% blasts in marrow were 19.4% and 31.1%, respectively. Peripheral blood pancytopenia occurred in 51.6% of DR15-positive, and in 40.0% of DR15-negative patients.4.Although the HLA-DR15 allele appeared to be present more frequently in patients less than 60 years of age, this association was not significant. The frequency of HLA-DR15 was significantly higher in patients with MDS than in healthy controls suggesting the possibility that HLA-DR15 is associated with an enhanced susceptibility to develop MDS. The fact that HLA-DR15 was predominantly noted in patients with RA/RARS and low IPSS scores, suggested that HLA-DR15 might be associated more with bone marrow failure and less with leukemic transformation.clinical/experimental characteristics in HLA-DR15 positive or negative MDS patientsCohortHLA-DR15 positive(n=31)HLA-DR15 negative(n=45)P valueRA/RARS(case/%)24/31(77.4)28/45(62.2)0.161Low risk (IPSS≤1) (case/%)25/31(80.6)29/45(64.4)0.126Karyotype abnormal(case/%)13/31(41.9)18/45(40.0)0.866Poor chromosome(case/%)1/31(3.2)8/45(17.8)0.117Blast>5%(case/%)6/31(19.4)14/45(31.1)0.253Pancytopenia(case/%)16/31(51.6)18/45(40.0)0.317Male patients(case/%)17/31(54.8)25/45(55.6)0.951age(<60 years) (case/%)20/31(64.5)20/45(44.4)0.085 [Display omitted] [Display omitted]